Thursday, November 7, 2024 – 5pm, Foster 103
Anna Tosato, Visiting Scholar and Bhagwan Munisuvrata Swami Post-Doctoral Research Associate, Department of Religion, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Performing arts played a crucial role in shaping the cultural landscape of India’s past. Still, due to their ephemeral nature, their study presents several challenges and calls for extreme caution. This talk will show how the concept of abhinaya, first codified in the Nāṭyaśāstra (2nd century BCE–2nd century CE?), is skillfully used by sculptors to convey meanings beyond the context of the stage for which it was originally devised. Using several case studies from the classical and medieval periods, this talk will argue that the analysis of the ways in which performing arts and performing artists are represented in sculptures and inscriptions can greatly enrich our understanding of Indian temples and art.